The present invention relates to rechargeable battery packs with integrated electronics for use in portable electronic equipment.
Modern portable computers commonly include an AC adaptor, which permits power to be drawn from a standard mains supply, and connections for one or more rechargeable batteries. When AC power is present, the AC adaptor converts it to DC power, to power the computer and recharge the batteries if needed; when AC power is absent, the computer can run from the batteries (if they are sufficiently charged).
A great variety of battery control circuits and algorithms have been proposed, from vendors such as Dallas Semiconductor, Maxim, benchmarq, and others. Different battery chemistries, cell designs, and charging algorithms are constantly being developed, and therefore continuing improvements are necessary in battery controllers. Such controllers may be designed into a portable computer, or may be designed into a stand-alone battery charger.